Linn-Mar High School hosted 4,000 students and parents last Saturday, February 6, for the Iowa High School Large Group State Speech Contest.

Students from nearly 100 schools in southeast Iowa came to the competition, one of four across the state that day. The others were in Ankeny, Decorah and LeMars.

"People were searching for parking spots, the place was so filled," said Kevin Fry, co-chair of the contest, along with his wife and fellow Linn-Mar faculty member Ann Fry.

"This was the first time Linn-Mar has hosted this particular event," said Ann, who teaches speech, English and theatre in the district. "The school administration has been so supportive to make this work. We offered to be the site [of the contest] two years ago, so we've been preparing, prepping and organizing it since then. It took seven coaches seven hours one day a week before the event to lay out the schedule. We've worked on conflicts in the scheduling."

Students participated in 10 events: one-act play, choral reading, readers' theatre, ensemble acting, musical theatre, television and radio news, solo mime, group mime and group improvisation. Students first compete in their districts, moving on to the Large Group contest; from there, students who qualify go to the All-State Festival in Ames on February 20. Of the 13 events that Linn-Mar students participated in, students in 11 are eligible to be invited to All-State.

"We're very proud of the students," Kevin Fry, who is a Linn-Mar media associate and sponsor of the high school's TV station, LMTV, said. "They like what they do and are dedicated to the program."

Kevin also praised the volunteers who helped make the event possible.

"We had 60 to 70 volunteers sign up, as far away as Minnesota," he said. "Here at the school, everyone has pitched in, along with the school coffee shop, the 'Lazy Lion Lounge,' the school cafeteria and food department. Sheri Crandall, our school prom coordinator and foreign language teacher, has been working for a year organizing."

"This has been such a group effort," Ann Fry said. "I've learned a lot. There's been great camaraderie with everyone being part of the team."

Kevin Fry and some Linn-Mar students created a map that was on display in a central gathering space in the school during the contest, showing all the schools involved in the weekend event. The group also created signs to help people find their way throughout Linn-Mar buildings.

"Teachers, parents, grandparents and staff from different buildings in our district have volunteered, along with so many students, too," said Ann Fry. "Certified speech judges have come from as far as Parkersburg and Grinnell."

Kevin noted that speech competitions highlight the sort of teamwork that made last weekend's event at Linn-Mar possible.

"This contest is different in that you work with a group," he said. "In sports, you play against someone, [while] in this, you're competing against yourself. It's how well you can do on your own.

"It's all for the kids. It's their time to shine and to give them that happy moment when they've accomplished something. The judges give everyone comments. In sports you have winners and losers. Here, you always feel like a winner. You have growth and you have a shot at it again next year."

Speaking before the event, Linn-Mar junior Ann Phillips said she was excited about the event, as she was on the television and radio team presenting a newscast.

"I'm a techie," she said. "I make sure it airs the right way. It's a great event."

HyVee, Pepsi, Perkins, Farner-Bocken, Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen all provided food and assistance. Proceeds from the event will be used for operating costs of the contest and LMTV programming. The Iowa High School Speech Association serves 487 member schools and 40,000 students across the state.